Lohengrin al fresco

[uffeviking]

Watching another Lohengrin at the end I was wondering where does that leave loveable Ortrud?Maybe she marries Elsa's brother to finally rule Brabant. I don't know. I am confused because I just finished watching yet another Lohengrin, the one from the Bayreuther Festspiele 1990.

Wolfgang Wagner asked the director Werner Herzog to keep in mind this production will be used for the next five seasons, please no trendy antics. "Can do" said Herzog and puts the action way back to the 10th century of Northern Germany. I might not be up on the fashion of that time, but warriers in animal skins and odd shaped metal headgear looks a bit too primitive. The last act, the bedchamber scene, is al fresco: A big wooden platform covered with silver sheeting and a silver swan as headboard is placed in the Alaskan Tundra, two wild animals - wolfs, grizzly bears? - sleeping next to strewn about rocks. 

You get the picture? I accept it, at least nobody can label it Eurotrash, everybody is clothed from necks to toes, Lohengrin and Elsa never even touch the bed and they don't kiss either. Elsa is again Cheryl Studer but this time noticeably slimmer, and Lohengrin is sung by Paul Frey, a tall, slim, tenor I was not familiar with. His voice is very lyrical and bright, not strong as Domingo's, more gentle until he gets to the Gralserzählungwhere he shows impressive power.

Outstanding is Ekkehard Wlaschiha who most of us know as the horny Alberich, is a convincing Telramund. Singing and acting at his usual best.

Another Lohengrin I have dutifully watched and evaluated, and I am back again to Siegfried Jerusalem and Peter Hofmann.

But there is the music! Peter Schneider and the Bayreuther Orchestra, plus the famous and fabulous Chorus of the Festspiele make this production not only tolerable but enjoyable, animals, two inches of River Elbe water, real water for Ortrud to splash in, and the tie-died shift of Lohengrin not withstanding. Just turn off the video and listen - in case you are tempted to buy this DG DVD.

[Wendell_E]

Watching another Lohengrin at the end I was wondering where does that leave loveable Ortrud?Maybe she marries Elsa's brother to finally rule Brabant.

A nice burning at the stake would seem more likely, and appropriate. 

[PSmith08]

It's a question, to be sure, since I doubt young Gottfried von Brabant would really want to marry Ortrud, given their "baggage."